Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-01-14

made them: and he was ugly when the
drink was in, which mine wasn't. But
there's hardly one in this house. man or
woman, that don't take drop 10 keep of
the fever: and even |. that hate the sight
and smell Of it. | wake up in the morning
with an awful kind % gonencss that seems
as if a taste might help il. The tea stops
that, though. Teas the hest friend we've
got we'd never stand it if it wasn't for
tea. Are overalls steady pay through the
year, There's nothing that's steady, So far
as | can find out, but want and misery
just now uveralls are up, and we're making
dollar dozen on these. ] have done Il
dozen a day, but it's generally ten. There's
the long seams, and the two pockets, and
the buckle strap and waistband and three
button holes, and the stays and the finish
ing. They're heavy machines, too, and
take the backbone right out Of you before
night comes But you sleep like the dead,
that's one comfort 1t would be more if
you didn't have 10 wake any more'n they
do When the overall rush is over tin be-
pants again That's my trade ! learned
it regular after was married, when / saw
Tim wasn't going to be any dependence
There were the children then, and | thought
could send em to school and keep things
decent, maybe Yes, ! know all about
pants, the best and the worst, but It's most
ly worst these days, for price, have been
cut till its wonder that We can keep soul
and body together
I'VE don't, interrupted one Of the ma
chine women, turning suddenly 81 got rid
o my soul long ago, such us twas. Who's
got time to think about souls, grinding away
here IL hours a day to turn out contract
goods Tain't souls that count it's bodies
that can be- driven, an half starved. an
driven again, till they drop in their tracks.
I'm driving now to pay the doctors bill for
my three that went with the fever Before
that | was driving to put food into their
mouths I've never owed "a cent to mo- man,
I've been honest aud paid ns ! went. and
done good turn when ! could If I'd
chosen the other thing while III a pretty
face of my own, I'd "a had ease and com
fort and quick death.
shes right enough, said the hnisher
but there's no use thinking about it, though
! try TO sometimes, just to see If there's any
way out but there isn't I've even said
I'd take a place but who'd take anybody
looking a. do cover up IN an old water
proof when 20 for work They wouldn't
give it to me If they saw my dress IN rags
below, aud cant spare time tn mend it,
But we're doing better than some We've
had meat twice this week. and we've kept
warm It's the coal that eat, up your mon
ey: ~ cents scuttle. and no place 10 keep
more if ever We got ahead enough 10 get
more at a time It's lucky tea, staying
Give me plenty Of tea and the most want
generally besides is bread and scrape of
butter It's all figured out It's long since
I've spent over - cents week for what |
must eat I've no time To cook, even If !
had anything, 80 it, lucky / haven't
Up "A little higher in the same buidng "a
pantaoon maker sat in a hreless room. fin
ishing the last Of II dozen. which, when car
ried back. would give her money for coal
and food She had been i'll for three days
and on the bed-au Old mattress on dry
| goods box IN the corner. Even that more
| than had for a good while. she said "I'd
pawned everything before my husband died,
except the machine. | cuuldn't make but
% cents pair on the pants and a. long a-
he could hold up he did the pressing With
| him to help a little made three pair q day.
| That seem, little. hut there we're so many
| pieces to each pair-sidr aud watch and p~
| tol packets, bucklestrap, waisthaud, and
bottom facings and lap. six buttonholcs and
nine buttons. We lived don't just know
how. He was going in consumption. an
livery set about it, I'll have no melicin.
and no doctor 10 make me hang and dra-
along be- says I've got to 20. and knoN
| it, and III do 1t a. quick as ! can. He wa
| Scotch an took his porridge 10 the last, but
| came Ia loathe it. He could live on siA
cents day: | couldn't I'm the kind ion
Your contractors, he'd say 1t, gloriou,
country, and the rich'l be- richer vet wher
there's more like me He didn't mind what
he said, an one day when Il Biblc-reader put
| her head in be saws Come in Nv wife,
working for a Christian contractor at 6'
cents a day. an I'm whats left Of another
Christian dealings with me. keeping me "a
u packer in "A damp basement with no fire
Come in an lets see what more Christian
ty has to say about it He scared der. hi,
eyes was 80 shiny and he most gone then
But there's many one that don't 20 ovrI
80 cents IA week for what she'll eat Go,
help them that Is starving Us 10y bits, If Their,
is God. but I'm doubting it, else why don
things get better, an not always worse al,
worse =
On the top floor, in room 10 feet square
! low ceiled and lighted by but one window
whose panes were criisted with the dirt ~
a generation, seven women sat at work
! Three machines were the principal furnl
| ture. small stove burned hercrlV thi
close smell Of red-hut iron hardly duminat
ing the fouler one of sinks and sewer gas
| Piles Of clnaks were on the floor, and tn
women. white and wan, with cavernou
eyes and hands more akin to II skeleton
than to flesh and blood. bent over the gar
ments that would pass from this loathsom
place saturated with the invisible filth fur
nished as air They were handsome cloak =,
lined with quilted silk or satin, trmme,
with fur or sealskin, and retailing at $50 T.
SO 4 teapot stood at the back of tn
stove; a loaf Of bread and "A lump of streak
butter were on "A small table absorbing thei
portion also Of filth. An inner room, mer
closet. dark and even fouler than the QUITE
one, held the bed-a mattress, black wit
age. lying on the floor. Here such rest Il
might be had was taken when the rs hour
of work ended Sixteen hours Of toll nm
relieved by one CLEAN of hope or cheer, tn
net result of this accumulated and ever
accommodating misery being 300 per week
Two women, using their utmost diligence
could finish one cloak a day, for which the
received from the sweater, ~ through who's
hands all must come, 80 cents each for
toll unequaled by any form of labor unde
the sun, unless it be that of the haggar
wretches dressed in mems clothes but count
ed as female laborers in Belgian mines